‘This Is Us’ Recap: Randall Takes a Trip Down Memory Lane

(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you have not watched Tuesday’s episode of “This Is Us,” titled “The Trip.”)

The Big Three head to their family cabin for a weekend of rest and sibling bonding, but end up with some revelations instead, on the newest episode of “This Is Us.”

In the episode “The Trip,” a newly reunited Kate (Chrissy Metz), Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) drive to the woods together after a Thanksgiving fiasco revealed that their mother Rebecca (Mandy Moore) has known Randall’s birth father William (Ron Cephas Jones) the whole time.

Their sibling bonding time is quickly interrupted when Olivia (Janet Montgomery) arrives. Kevin invited her, without telling Kate, but he’s surprised too when it turns out she also invited some friends, including an ex-boyfriend she still cuddles with.

Even worse, Olivia has a harsh confrontation with Kate – accusing her of wanting to keep Kevin uncomplicated, and being secretly afraid that she still won’t be happy even if she had gastric bypass to lose weight.

Randall’s attempt to deal with the game-changing revelation about Rebecca and William’s communication over the years is further complicated when he inadvertently ingests some hallucinogenic mushrooms — leading him to have a series of heart-to-hearts with his dead father Jack (Milo Ventimiglia).

In flashbacks, the reason Rebecca kept William from Randall is revealed, and it’s mostly for selfish reasons: She’s afraid her son might be taken from her, especially after a younger William shows too much enthusiasm at the idea of meeting little Randall. However, as grown-up Randall’s hallucinations wind down, he realizes she was just doing the best she can — and keeping a huge secret to herself the whole time.